Sterilizer valve



Sept. 5, 1933. J H OKUN 1,925,931

STERILIZER VALVE Filed Nov. 21, 1931 5 Sheets-Sheet l NTOR- ATTORNEY- J.H, OKUN STERILIZER VALVE Se t. 5, 1933.

Filed Nov. 21, 1931 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 eZ ATTORNEY- Sept. 5, 1933. J H,QKUN 1,925,931

STERILI ZER VALVE Filed Nov. 21, 1931 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 L INVENTOR- L'TTQRNEY- J. H. OKUN STERILIZER VALVE Sept. 5, 1933.

Filed Nov. 21, 1931 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Sept. 5, 1933. J. H. OKUN 1,925,931

STERILIZER VALVE Filed NOV. 21, 1931 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 II b 4O 4-! myTOR- E ATTORNEY- Patented Sept. 5, 1933 UNETEQ STATES STERILIZER VALVEJoseph H. ()kun, Brooklyn, N. Y., assignor to Kny-Schcerer Corporation,New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application November 21, 1931Serial No. 576,463

.5 Claims.

My invention relates to an improvement in a sterilizer valve and itsnovelty consists in the adaptation and arrangement of parts as will bemore fully hereinafter pointed out.

Surgical technique requires that all dressings, bandages, instruments,gloves, utensils and everything else used in connection with anoperation and which may directly or indirectly come into contact withthe open wound be positively sterilized.

This sterilization is efiected in usual practice in a dressingsterilizer which has a cylindrical or sterilizing chamber entirelysurrounded by an outer cylindrical chamber which is commonly 0 known asthe jacket. Suspended from the outer jacket there is an independentmeans for generation of steam or direct boiler steam may be run directlyto said jacket.

In operating this usual and well known dressing sterilizer steam, whichis specially generated or boiler steam, must be fed to the jacket andthe air in the jacket must be expelled into the room or to a vent pipe.As the temperature of the water the generator is raised to approximately254 F. (the sterilizing temperature) there will be a further expellationof air from the sterilizing chamber due to expansion.

The steam in the jacket is now used for creating, by means of anejector, a partial vacuum within the sterilizing chamber in order toinsure penetration. The steam from the jacket is then allowed to flowdirectly into the sterilizing chamber and, because of the partial vacuumpreviously created therein as described, the steam will penetrate to thecenter of the dressings within said sterilizing chamber. The steampressure within the sterilizing chamber is maintained at 17 to 18 poundsfor a period of thirty minutes or more, depending upon the technique ofthe supervisor in charge. sterilizing chamber is then allowed to escapeeither into the room or through a vent pipe, either by its own potentialpressure or 'iorcibly evacuated by means "or" the jacket steam throughthe ejector nozzle.

When the sterilizing chamber gauge has registered zero the jacket steamis again ejected through the ej ctor nozzle to again create a partialvacuum of ten inches. The purpose of this operation is to lower theboiling point of the ater within the chamber, causing any condensationor dampness in the dressings to evaporate through the vent pipe into theopen atmosphere. This drying process is aided by the heat transmitted tothe dressings from the adjacent walls of the sterilizing chamber shell.The jacket steam must then be conserved for the next sterilizationprocess while the partial vacuum within the sterilizing chamber must bebroken to permit the opening of the door of said The steam in the.

sterilizing chamber by the operator as the contents of said sterilizingchamber are then thoroughly sterile and dry.

Heretcfore all of these various steps have been controlled either by anumber of difierent valves or by a single valve in which it wasnecessary to turn the valve back and forth to various differentpositions in order to carry out the complete operation which requiresthe operator to know and remember which step was taken last and whichstep is to be taken next as there is nothing on the valve to indicatethis. Through unavoidable interruptions the-sterilizer operatorfrequently makes serious errors and therefore does not always effectcomplete sterilizationbecause of the confusing operation of the presenttype of single valve or combination of valves in the present dressingsterilizers.

My device has solved this problem and furnishes one valve which has anexternal dial indicator showing the position and position function ofthe valve at all times and which can be completely operated through thevarious po sitions by gradual rotation of the valve in one directionover the different positions of the dial indicator. This enables theoperator to know exactly what steps have been completed and what step isnext to be taken so that the operation is always carried out in acomplete and uniform manner by means of my valve. All pos sible error isthereby eliminated in carrying out the process and the failure toperform any one of the successive steps is avoided as the operatoralways knows from the valve indicator what steps should be taken next asit clearly indicates what steps have been completed and the advancementis always in one direction, be it clockwise or counterclockwise.

Referring to the drawings Figure 1 is a side longitudinal sectional viewof a complete dressing sterilizer embodying my valve, being broken forconvenience in illustration. 7

Figure 2 isa perspective of the valve casting and connections with thecontrol handle and cover removed, showing the control handle connectionin dotted outline and being in the first position.

Figure 3 is a perspective of the cover, control handle and connectionsof my valve showing certain portions in dotted outline also in positionone as is shown in Figure 2.

Figure i is a back plan view of the operative disc control and operatedby the valve handle and connections showing certain portions in dottedoutline. v

Figure 5 is a top plan view of the main body of the valve in the castingshowing certain portions in dotted outline.

Figure 6 is a side elevation of my valve with a portion broken away andshowing the internal '32. source of steam supply is also connected tothe connecting passages in dotted outline as connected in control handleposition two.

Figure 7 is a front elevation of Figure 6 show ing the internalconnecting passages in dotted outline. Figure 8 is a side elevation ofmy valve similar to Figure 6 showing the internal connecting passageswith the control handle set at position three.

Figure 9 is a front elevation of Figure 8 showing the connectingpassages in dotted outline.

Figure 10 is a side elevation of my valve similar to Figure 8 with aportion broken away to show the internal construction and with theinternal connecting passages showing in dotted outline in accordancewith the control handle in I position four.

Figure 11 is a front elevation of Figure 10 showing the internalconnecting passages in dotted outline.

Figure 12 is a side elevation of my valve similar to Figure 10 showingthe internal portions and connections in dotted outlinev and with thecontrol handle set at position five.

Figure 13. is a front elevation of Figure'12 showing the internalconnections in dotted outline.

Figure 14 is a side elevation of my valve similar to Figure 12 showingthe internal construction and connections in dotted outline inaccordance with the position of control handle in position six. 7

Figure 15 is a front elevation of Figure 14 showing the internalconnecting passages in dotted outline.

Figure 16 is a side elevation of my valve similar to Figure 14 showingthe internal construction and connections in dotted outline with thecontrol handle in position seven.

Figure 17 is a front elevation of Figure 16 showing the internalcomiecting passages in dotted outline.

In the drawings 20 is a sterilizing chamber entirely surrounded by asteam. jacket 21 over which is rigidly mounted on the upper side afinishing jacket 22 in the usual well known manner. My control valve 23is mounted in the usual airtight manner through the finishing jacket 22into the steam jacket 21 and through pipe 24 which is also connecteddirectly into the sterilizing chamber 20. A safety valve 25 of usualconstruction is connected through the finishing jacket 22 tothe steamjacket 21 and the sterilizing chamber 20 and steam jacket 21 are rigidlysecured at one end to casting 26 to which is hingedly secured in theusual manner a safety steam locking door 27 of the usual constructionused on such sterilizers and having the usual control handle 27a. Asteam generator 28 of the usual construction used With this type ofsterilizer is connected to thebottom of the steam jacket 21 by means ofusual pipe connections 29 and 30 and the usual water pipe connection 31running from a source of water supply is connected to the bottom of thegenerator 28 and has the usual control valve A pipe 33 running from aboiler or other generator 28 in the usual manner, running therethroughin a coil 34 and has the usual control valve 35 for controlling thesame. A water gauge glass 19 having the usual connections 18 of regularconstruction is connected in the usual manner to the generator 28.

The valve 23is'comprised of its main casting having the cup-shapedportion 80 with the external threading 81 over which is adapted to bethreaded a cap 82 having internal threading adapted to engage theexternal threading 81. Said cap 82 has a tubular flange 82a which is"externally threaded and has locking nuts 82b and 820 threadedly mountedthereover. A shaft 83 is mounted through said cap 82 and flange 82ahaving a handle 84 rigidly secured thereto at 85 and a spring engagingmember 86 integral with said handle terminating in a ball 87 adapted toengage pockets 88 which are numbered on the front dial of the cap 82, 1to 7 in the clockwise direction as indicated in Figure 3. The positions1 to 7 on the dial of cap 82 are each adapted to be marked with thefunctions of the device carried out by said particular position so thatthe operator will be fully informed of just what occurs at each of theseven positions of the dial control. On the inner end of the shaft 83 isrigidly secured a rectangular clamp member 89 which is adapted to fitover spring elements 90 which are rigidly mounted at their ends inpockets 91 in the front face of a circular disc 92 which is adapted tofit into and rotate freely within the pocket 80.

The circular disc 92 has on its back surface (as shown in Figure 4)holes 55, 56 and 57 which run all the way through said disc and it hasholes 50, 51, 52 and 53 which through passageways are connected directlyto the arouate cut out 54 and holes 58 and 59 are connected together bya passageway.

' The cup-shaped portion 80 has holes 38 drilled through the edge of thesame connecting with a passage 40 which leads to the steam jacket 21.Hole 39 (shown in Figure '7) also drilled through the edge of thecup-shaped portion 80 runs directly into passage 39b connecting directlyto the steam jacket gauge 39a and on which the steam pressure of thesteam jacket 21 is registered throughout the operation of this device.Hole 43 drilled through the main body of the valve 23 connects updirectly to the ejector 43a of usual construction (shown in Figures 6and 8) and said ejector 43a is mounted in the body 23 at 43b by means ofthe usual threading and said ejector 43a terminates at its outer endinto passageway 430 which leads to the outer air through the cap member43d which is threadedly connected at 43a to the body 23. Hole 60 drilledthrough the body 23 (as shown in Figures 8 and 9) runs through directlyinto opening 60a immediately around the ejector 43a. Hole 61 drilledthrough body 23 runs to the passage through ejector 43a. 'Hole 62drilled in the-body 23 connects directly to the passageway 41 whichleads to the sterilizing chamber 20 through the tube 24. Hole'63 drilledthrough the body 23 connects directly to passage to the sterilizingchamber gauge 700: which throughout the operations of my valve indicatesthe pressure or vacuum in the sterilizing chamber 20. Hole 64 is drilledthrough the body 23 and connects directly through passage 40 to g thesteam jacket 21 so as to permit the escape of air therefrom.

As previously described, the turning of the handle 84 to place theregistering spring pressure ball 87 in pockets 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7through the clockwise turning of said handle gives us successively thedifferent operating positions of the valve 23'and position 1 is shown inFigures .2 and 3; position 2 in Figures 6 and 7; position 3 in Figures 8and 9; position 4 in Figures 10 and 11; position 5 in Figures 12 and 13;position 6 in Figures 14 and 15 and position 7 in Figures 16 and 1'7.

The turning of the handle 84, shaft 83 connected thereto and clamp 89through its clamping over spring member 90, rotates the disc 92 togetherwith its holes to the various positions required relative to the fixedposition of the holes described in body 23 and shown in Figure 5, and wewill now consider those seven positions and the respective positions ofthe enumerated holes of the disc 92 and the holes of body 23.

In position 1 of the handle 84 hole 57 of the disc 92 is in alignmentwith hole 64 of the body 23 which makes a complete connection by thepassages for air being driven out of steam jacket 21 as the generator 28is set in operation by filling the same with water so that the displacedair within the generator 28 and steam jacket 21 is automatically takencare of and will pass oiT through the exhaust 64a, passing throughpassage 40 from the jacket 21 through holes 38 on to the front of thedisc 92 so that it has free access to hole 57 which connects with theexhaust 64a.

In position 2 of the handle'84 the water now being boiled in thegenerator 28 causes a pressure which is indicated on jacket gauge 39a-bysteam which passes from the generator 28 through pipes 29 and 30 tosteam jacket 21 and thence through the passageway 40, then through holes38 and 39 to jacket gauge 39a The exaround the ejector.

panded air in the sterilizing chamber 20 will also pass through the tube24, passageway 11 through hole 62 of the body 23 into hole of the disc92, thence through the arcuate passage 54 into hole 60 of body 23 tothespace 60c around the ejector 43a. This position 2 gives us theindication of the steam pressure in jacket 21 on the jacket gauge 3% andallows the expanded air in the sterilizing chamber 20 to pass off as thesteam jacket 21 heats up the outer surface of the sterilizing chamber20, said expanded air after reaching the space 60a passing off to theatmosphere through the passageway 430. The steam in the steam jacket 21will be built up until a pressure. of eighteen pounds is attained. Inposition 3 of the handle 84 the water being boiled in the generatorindicates the pressure on the jacket gauge 39a by the steam from thegenerator passing through steam jacket 21 and passageway 40 and hole 38and hole 39 to the jacket gaugeSQa. This steam also goes into hole 55 ofthe disc 92 and thence through body hole 43 into ejector 43a creating aten inch vacuum in the sterilizing chamber 20 whereby air is withdrawnthrough passageway 41 through the tube 24 from the sterilizing chamber20 through the body hole 62 through hole 51 of the disc through are 5thence out of hole of the body 23 and out through the space 600. A teninch vacuum is now indicated on the chamber gauge 79a as this drawing ofthe air also occurs through the duct leadingfrom the sterilizing chambergauge In position 4 of the handle 84 the steam being generated inthegenerator 28 passing through steam jacket 21 causes the pressure tobe indicated on the steam jacket gauge 39a as the steam from thegenerator passing through the passageway 40, holes 38 and 39, passes tothe jacket gauge 39a. This steam is also admitted to the sterilizingchamber 20 through disc hole 56 which is now in alignment with hole 62of 'lizing chamber 20.

the body 23 and the steam will thence pass through the passageway 41through tube 24 into the chamber 20 until a pressure of eighteen poundshas been built up and because of the vacuum previously created in thechamber 20 this steam will be drawn into the chamber 20 so as topenetrate every portion of the chamber 20 and thoroughly penetrate alltightly packed dressings even in the very center of said steri- Anycondensation will be drained by means of a'steam trap (not shown) in theusual well known manner.

When the handle 84 isturned to position 5 of the dial the steam beinggenerated in the generator 28 and steam jacket 21 causes a pressure tobe indicated on the steam jacket gauge 39a as the steam from thegenerator 28 passing through the passageway so passes to the jacketgauge The exhaust steam from the sterilizing chamber 20 will now passthrough passageway 4.1, thence to body hole 62 into disc hole 52 throughthe are 54 and into holes 60 of the body into the space 60a around theejector 43a whence it will pass to the atmosphere through the passageway430. In this manner the steam from the sterilizing chamber 20 isevacuated therefrom by means of its potential pressure through thepassageway 43c into the atmosphere until the steam pressure of chamber20 is zero.

When the control handle 84 or" my valve is turnedto position 6 on thedial a partial vacuum of ten inches is created within the steri1izingchamber 20 for thoroughly drying the contents, said "vacuum beingmaintained for a period of five minutes. The steam being generated inthe generator passing through the steam jacket 21 causes a pressure tobe indicated on the steam jacket gauge 39a as the steam from thegenerator passing through jacket 21 and the passageway 40 passes to thejacket gauge 39a.

The steam will enter disc hole 55 through body hole 61 out through theejector 43a and the air in chamber 20 goes out through tube 24 into thebody hole 41, thence through body hole 62 into disc hole 53 through are54 into body hole 60 and out into the ejector space 60a whereby the teninch vacuum is created within the chamber 20 for drying the contents,

When the handle 84 is turned to position '7 of the dial the steam beinggenerated in the generator passing through jacket 21 causes a pressureto be indicated on the steam jacket gauge 39a as thesteam from thegenerator passing through the jacket 21 and passageway 40 passes to thejacket gauge 39a. The vacuum in the chamber 26 must now be broken inorder to permit the opening of the door of the sterilizing chamber 20and this is secured by allowing the. air to enter Gdathrough body hole64 into disc hole 58, thence through disc hole 59 entering body hole 63,thence through duct 70 to chamber gauge 70a and through passageway 41into tube 24 and into chamber 29. This permits the passing of the airfrom the atmos phere by Way of passages and holes as described into theinside of the sterilizing chamber 20, thereby breaking the vacuum andautomatically permitting the easy and normal pening of the sterilizingvchamber door 27 by turning handle 27a in the usual manner.

In continuing the process the sterilizing chamber 20 having beenunloaded must now again be reloaded with new material to be sterilizedvand if the generator is sufiiciently filled with water and steam tocontinue the process, the

the

valve handle 84 can be moved clockwiseas described from position 7 toposition 3 thereby immediately creating the partial vacuum within thechamber as already described; so that the process may be. carried onthrough the successive positions 3 .to '7 successively, as hereinbeforeset forth.

In carrying out the usual operation of dressing sterilizer through theseven positions as described it will be understood that when thegenerator .28 is filled with water'in position 1 of the control handle84 by means of opening valve 32 so as to permit the water toflowthroughpipe 31 into the generator 28 and the air fromthe generator 28and the steam jacket 21 have been allowed toescape as described, and thecontrol handle 84 is turned to, position 2, the generating power (notshown herein) will then be turned on to effect the heating of the waterin the generator 28 to make steam in the usual well known manner. Thismay be done also by opening the valve and permitting steam to come inthrough the steam pipe 33 from a source not shown and passing throughcoil 34 in the generator thereby efiecting the heat in the-generator inthe usual manner.

It is also to be understood that the sterilizing chamber 20 should befully packed with the material to be sterilized before starting theoperations as set forth in the positions 1 to '7 inclusive and at thecompletion of the sterilization on the completion of the operationdescribed in position 7 of the control handle 84 the material sterilizedin the sterilizing chamber 20 will be removed upon opening the door 27by means of turning the handle Z'Yaand the sterilizing chamber 20repacked with material .to be sterilized and the door 27 again closedand locked by means of handle 27a.

The process of sterilization will then be repeated but it will not benecessary to carry out the steps of positions 1 and 2 of the controlhandle 84 as these operations'which are necessary at the beginning oftheuse of the'sterilizer are now unnecessary as the generator 28 is filedwith boiling water and the steam jacket 21 is filled with steam so thatthesterilizer is in full operating condition and theccontrolhandle 84can therefore be turned from the, position '7' in the 'usual clockwisedirection as described to position 3. The operations-of the sterilizeras described through the positions of the control handle 84 inpositions'3 to 7 in succession will now be again repeated so astosterilize the new material which has been packed into the sterilizerchamber 20.

It will be understood that many variations may be made in the structureof my device without departing from the spirit and intent of the same. I

I claim: x

1. In a sterilizer valve a single valve control adapted by rotation inone direction to a'series of fixed and indicated positions to controlthe complete operation of sterilization, comprising a body having agroup of holes and passages, different ones leading to an air exhaust, asterilizing chamber pressure and vacuum gauge, a steam jacket gauge andan ejector and an outlet around said ejector, a disc adapted to fit saidbody and be rotated therein and having a group'of holes adapted to bepositioned in alignment with different holes in said body group andconnecting also with different passages leading to a steam jacket, asterilizing chamber and a generator.

2. In a valve a control handle mounted under spring tension terminatingin a ball over a dial having position pockets and means indicating thedifferent operations of each position of a series of said operativepositions and said valve controlling said operations when in saiddescribed positions determined by said control handle, said valvecomprising a body having a group of holes and passages, different onesleading to an air exhaust, a sterilizing chamber pressure and vacuumgauge, a steam jacket gauge and an ejector and an outlet around saidejector, a disc adapted to fit said body and be rotated therein andhaving a group of holes adapted to be positioned in alignment withdifierent holes in said body group and connecting also with dilferentpassages leading to a steam jacket, asterilizingchamber and a gen,-erator.

- 3. In a sterilizer valve a body having a group of holes and passages,different ones leading to an air exhaust, a sterilizing chamber pressureand vacuum gauge, a steam jacket gauge and an ejector and an outletaround said ejector, a disc adapted to fit said body and be rotatedtherein and having a group of holes adapted to be positioned inalignment with different holes insaid body group and connecting alsowith different passages leading to a steam jacket, a sterilizing chamberand a generator, a cap cov- 'ering said body and disc and carrying meansfor indicating the operative positions of said valve and a shaft runningthrough said cap and means connecting said shaft and said disc, anopera- 4 tive handle on the outer end of said shaft and means on saidhandle for engagingdetaining means at said operative positions on saidcap.

4. In' a sterilizer valve a body having a group of holes and passages,difierent ones leading to an air exhaust, a sterilizing chamber pressureand vacuum gauge, a steam jacket gauge and .an ejector and an outletaround said ejector,

a disc adapted to fit said body and be rotated I --therein' and having agroup of holes adapted to be positioned in alignment with differentholes in said body group and connecting also with different passagesleading to a steam jacket, a

sterilizing chamber and a generator, a cap covering said body and discand carrying means for indicating the operative positions of said valveand a shaft running through said cap and means connecting said shaft andsaid disc.

I r r JOSEPH H. OKUN.

